While he was still in his mother's womb it was discovered that Ashley would be born with his bowel outside of his abdomen. Ashley's mum Zoe flew to Brisbane from Mareeba each month for the last few months of her pregnancy to monitor his progress.
Zoe unexpectedly went into labour at 36 weeks and was airlifted from Cairns to the Mater Mothers’ Hospital in Brisbane as Ashley would need immediate surgery after birth.
On New Years Day 2009, Ashley was welcomed into the world and he endured life-saving surgery that evening. He spent the first few days of his life in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and another week in the Special Care Nursery, before being allowed to go home with his family to Mareeba in North Queensland.
One year on Ashley had made a fantastic recovery and is now a normal healthy little boy.
"The staff at the Mater Mothers' Hospital were wonderful. The hospital experience was the best that one could hope for under the circumstances,” said Zoe.